Planograph co



G. L. WALKER.

SWING RML SWITCH FROG. APPLICATION FILED APR.- 18. l9 18. RENEWED MAY 6, I919.

1,309,002. Patented July 8, 1919.

WITNESSES ix wf 4 m,

INVENTOR A TTORNE 1f- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LESLIE WALKER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE WALLS EROGLESS SWITCH & MANUFACTURING-COMPANY, 0F KANSASCITY',

A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

MISSOURI,

SWING-RAIL SWITCH-FROG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 18, 1918, Serial No; 229,421. Renewed May 6, 1919. Serial No. 295,112.

To all whom-it may concern I Be it known that I, GEORGE LESLIE WALKER, a citizen of the United States, and

a resident of Kansas City, in the county of w Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented rail switch frogs and it relates in particular to a mounting for the movable rail section and to means for swlnging the rail section from one position to the other and looking it in either position. The principal objects of my invention are to provide a frog which can be renewed by replacing one rail only, in a much shorter time than the present frog in common use can be renewed, and without I v I comprise operating devlces 1n the nature of the need of tearing up the track; to provide a device of the character described which will cost no more trouble than the present rigid frog; to .provide novel and simplified means for swlnging the movable rail sec-,

tion and for stopping the swinging rail in proper alinement with each end of the frog and then to lock it in such position; and withal to provide a device which will be able to withstand the heavy duties placed thereon on account of heavy trafiic and which shall be so simple in construction and operation that it may be readily installed and maintained by the ordinary track man.

In the single sheet of drawings accompanying this application and forming a part hereo Figure 1 is a perspective view of a swing-,

rail railway switch with one form of my operating mechanism applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the frogadjacent the pivot joint; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, in which like.

characters of reference designate like parts in the several views, 1 indicates a base plate on which the swinging section is mounted and to the ends of which the track and switch rails A, B, C, and D are secured. These rail ends are held in place .between side plates 2 and Spreaders 3, which spreaders serve to give the rails the proper angle of divergence. Preferably the side plates, rail into a unitary structure by horizontal bolts ends and spreaders are, all joined and the side plates are securely bolted to the base plate so that the rails may. not creep with relation to the swinging section and thus interfere with the action ofthe' latter by binding. The swinging rail section E is mounted to oscillate abouta pivot 4 at its center. This pivot consists of a bolt which Patented July'8 ,1919.

passes through acircular opening in the baseplate 1 and which has an enlarged head resting on' the upper face of the base plate. This head which is circular is received into a similar shaped opening formed in the base of a chair. which comprises apair ofpplates 5 which receive the web and base are securedto the rail sectionby a plurality of the rail section between them and which The means for swinging the rail section cams, such cam'devices comprising, in'the specific embodiment of the invention here illustrated, a plurality of wedges 6 carried .at the sides of the railand adapted to slide longitudinally and to react each against an adjacent abutment 7 which has'an antifriction' roller 8 in position to cooperate with from the inclined surfaces each' of the wedges 6is provided with idle surfaces 20,

21 at ,each end of the inclined surface,,these idle surfaces being parallel iwith the rail section. In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings I have shown four wedges and four abutments, diagonally opposite pairs of the wedges serving to actuate the movement in one direction and the other pair serving to actuate the opposite movement, alternate pairs bein thus inoperative.

The wec ges 6 are carried at the opposite extremities of reciprocating plates 9. The

wedge members 6 are preferably ,formed as the inclined surface of the Wedges. Aside shown in the drawings as angle shaped members adapted to fit in the angle between member 6 carries projecting therefrom in a direction toward the ends of the rail a looking bar 10.which is'adapted to enter a recess 11 between'the spreader" 3 and the adjacent rail web. On the outer side of each rail end there is provided alsto cated in the path of the swinglng section as to cause the section to aline with the particular pair of rails with which it is to cooperate.

Means for imparting reciprocatory mo-- tion to the plates 9 and thus to the wedges 6 are provided as follows: Rigidly connected to each plate 9 there is an arm 13, these arms 13 being connected by a bent rocking lever 14 which extends under the base plate 1 and is pivoted on the plates 13 is connected to the end 'of' a rocking lever 15 which is pivoted intermediate its. ends at 16and'provided with a link 17 connecting it to, any suitable mechanism for oscillating the lever 15. The connections between the members13,l4 and 15 are slotted in order that movement of the plates 9 may be in a straight line with reference to the swinging section E.

Fingers 18 bolted to the base plate project over the rail holding chair thus preventing thelatter from upsetting and still permitting it to have the oscillating movement previously described. Adjacent the ends of the swinging section I provide other chairs 19 which inclose the web and base of the rail and serve by resting on the base plate 1 to maintain the outer ends of the swinging rail at the proper elevation. These chairs also have grooves in their inner faces through which the locking bars 10, may pass and thus the chairs 19 serve also as guides for these locking bars.

: Operation.

Assuming the parts to be in position shown inFigs. 1 and 3,, a pushing action on the link 17 will throw the inner end of the lever 15. to the left; this will carry the plate 9 on the side near the lever 15 to the left and, operating through the lever. 14: pivoted at its middle,- will throw the other plate 9 in the opposite direction. The inclined and straight faces on the wedge members 6 are so proportioned that the first travel of the members 6 causes rollers 8 to follow along surfaces parallel with the rail and therefore not to move the same; but during this first period of movement the diagonally opposite locking bars 10v which were inengagement with their respective locking notches 11 are withdrawn. A further move ment starts the diagonally opposite rollers 8 which were in contact with the outer surfaces 20 of their respective wedges to leave the same and start down the inclined portion of these wedges, this. action taking place slightly inadvance of the other diagonally opposite rollers leavingthe inner straight surfaces 21 of the wedge and starting the climbing action; This latter action starts, however as; soon as those rollers which were in engagement with the surfaces 20 have left the same, and. the engagement of the diagonally opposite, rollers S with the in? pin 1. One of the pair of said wedges:

clined wedge surfaces of 6 will. tend to swing the movable rail section about the pivot 4. This action will continue until the movable rail section strikes the stops 12 at which time those rollers 8 which were formerly in engagement with the surfaces 20 have reached the surfaces 21 and those rollers which. actuated the movement have reached the surfaces '20. Further swinging movement of. 15 will cause travel of the rollers along the respective adjacent straight surfaces on the members 6 and the entry of the locking bars 10 into their sockets 11. The return movement is obviously merely the reverse of that just describe I It will thus be obvious that I have produced a structure'in whichthe rail section to be employed as a frog requires no fabrication other than drilling the holes in the web for receivingthe bolts which secure the chair plates 5 in position. If it is desired to employ a swing rail section of considerable length more wedges and abutments thanare shown may be employed, thus serving to provide fldditionalside braces for the swinging action. It will be obvious, of course, that if some of the wedges are placed nearer the pivot point than others the length. of their inclined surfaces must be altered to correpcn While I have described in detail the best embodiment of my invention now known to me Ido, not wish to be considered as limited to the precise details shown and described as I it is obvious that many changes in details and arrangements may bemade without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention what- I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a swing-rail switch frog, a basea rail section pivoted on said base plate, oppositely inclined wedges having their bases bearing against said rail section on opposite sides thereof andadjacent one end thereof, an abutment mounted on said base plate in position to. cooperate with the inclined face of each wedge, and means for simultaneously moving said wedges in opposite radial directions.

In a swing-rail switch frog, a base plate, arai-l section pivoted intermediate its ends on said base plate, oppositely inclined wedges having their bases bearing against said rail section on opposite sides thereof, a being located adjacent each end of said rail section, an abutment mounted on said'base plate in position to co operate with the inclined face of each wedge, and-means for simultaneously mov" ing said wedges to swing said rail.

3. Ina swing-rail switch frog, a. base plate, a rail section pivoted on said base plate, a reciprocating plate on each side of said rail 'section,, oppositely inclined wedges,

mounted at each end of said reciprocating plates, said wedges having their bases bear- 1ng against said rail section, an abutment mounted on said base plate in position toro operate with the inclined face of each wedge,

and means for simultaneously moving said reciprocating plates in opposite directions.

'4. Ina swing-rail switch frog, a base plate,- a rail section pivoted on said base plate, a reciprocating plate on each side of I said rail section, oppositely inclined wedges mounted at each end of said reciprocating plates, sald wedges having their bases bearmg against said rail section, an abutment mounted onsaid base plate in position to cooperate with the inclined face of each wedge, a locking bar extending radially from each wedge, a track structure at each end of said pivoted rail section having a pair of rails with each of which said pivoted section 18 adapted to be brought into line and having a socket adjacent each rail end adapted to receive a locking bar, and means for simultaneouslymoving said wedge members having their bases bearing against said rail section and having their outer surfaces each formed into a surface parallel to said rail section, a surface inclined thereto, and a secondsurface parallel thereto, said inclined surfaces being oppositely directed, abutments mounted on said base plate in position to cooperate with the outer faces of said wedges, and means for, simultaneously moving said wedges in opposite rad1al directlons, I

6. In a swing-rail switch frog, a base plate, a rail section pivoted on said base plate, a wedge member oneach side of said rail section adjacent one end thereof, said wedge members having their bases bearing against said rail section and having their outer surfaces each formed into a surface parallel to saidrail section, a surface inclined thereto, and a second surface parallel a thereto, said inclined surfaces being oppo sitely directed, a locking bar projecting from each wedge member toward the end of the rail section, abutments mounted on said base plate in position to cooperate with the outer faces of said Wedges, and means for simultaneously moving said wedges in opposite radial directions.

7. In a swing-rail switch frog, a base plate, a rail section pivoted on said base plate, a reciprocating plate on each side of said rail section, oppositely inclined wedges mounted at each end of said reciprocating plates, said wedges having their bases bearing against said rail section, an abutment mounted on said base plate in position to plate, a rail section pivoted on said cooperate with the inclined face; of each wedge, a rocking lever pivoted at its center in the line 0f the pivot of saidrail section and operatively connected at its opposite ends to said reciprocating-plates, and means for reciprocating one of saidplates.

In a swing-rail-switch frog, a base plate, a rail section pivoted on said base plate, a reciprocating plate on each side of said rail'section, an outwardly projecting arm mounted on each reciprocating plate,

oppositely inclined wedges mounted ateach end of said reciprocating plates, said wedges having their basesbearing against said rail section, an abutment mounted on said base plate in position to vcooperate with the inclined face of each wedge, a rocking lever pivoted at its center in the line of thepivot of said rail section andoperatively joined to said arms, a rocking lever connected to one of said arms, and 'means for rocking said last mentioned lever.

9. In a swing-rail switch frog, a base plate, a chair pivoted on said base plate, go

a rail section carried by said chair, a rvec-ip rocating plate on each side of said rail sec,- tion, oppositely inclined wedges mounted at each end of said reciprocating plates, said wedges having their bases bearing against said rail section, an abutment mounted on said base plate in position to cooperate with the inclined face of each wedge,va locking bar extending radially from each wedge, a chair mounted on said rail section adjacent a each end thereof and having guide openings for said locking barstherein, and meansfor,

simultaneously moving said reciprocating plates in opposite directions.

frog, a base base plate, a reciprocating plate on each side of 1 0. In a swing-rail switch said rail section, oppositely inclined wedges.

mounted at each end of said reciprocating plates, sa d wedges-having their bases bearing against said rail section, an abutment mounted on sald base plate in position to cooperate with the inclined face of each wedge, a locking bar extending radially from each wedge, a track structure. at each end of said pivoted rail section having a pair of railswith each of which said. pivoted rail section is adapted to be brought in line and a socket adjacent each rail end adapted to receive a locking bar, a stop carried by said track structures on the outer side of each railend, and means for simultaneously moving said reciprocating plates in opposite directions.

11. In a swing-rail switch frog, a base plate, a plate, a rail section carried by said chair, fingers mounted on said base plate and extending over the flanges of said chair but permitting the chair to oscillate thereunder, oppositely inclined wedges having their flanged chair pivoted on said base 1 bases bearing against said rail section on opposite sides thereof and adjacent one end thereof, an abutment mounted on said base plate in position to cooperate with the inclined face of each wedge, and means for simultaneously moving said wedges in ops posite radial directions.

12. In a swing-rail switch frog, in combination, ,a rail section pivoted intermediate its ends, and mechanism for swinging said rail section on its pivot, said mechanism comprising actuating members disposed on opposite sides of said pivot and on opposite sides of said rail section, abutments 00- operating wit-h said actuating members, and means for effecting relative movement between said members and abutments, whereby said actuating members operate to swing said rail section.

13. In a swing-rail switch frog, in combination, a rail section pivoted intermediate its ends; means for swinging said rail section on its pivot comprising cam devices on opposite sides of said rail section and on opposite sides of said pivot, and means for actuating said cam devices to swing said rail section in opposite directions.

14. In a swing-rail switch frog, the combination with a pivoted rail section, of wedges bearing against said rail section on opposite sides of its pivot, abutments cooperating with said wedges, and means for moving said wedges simultaneously longitudinally of the rail section and relatively to said abutments.

15. In a swing-rail switch frog, in combination, a rail section pivoted intermediate its ends, means for swinging said rail section on its pivot comprising devices on opposite sides of said rail section and on opposite sides of said pivot, means for locking said rail section in either of its operative positions, and means for actuating said devices to swing said rail in opposite directions and for actuating said locking means.

16. In a swing-rail switch frog, in combination, a rail section pivoted intermediate its ends, means for swinging said rail sections on its pivot comprising cam devices arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the rail section and in pairs on opposite sides of said pivot, means for operativelv connecting the pairs of cam devices on the same side of the rail section, and means for ac tuating said connecting means. and the cam devices connected thereto to swing said rail section.

17. In a swing-rail switch frog, in combination, a rail section pivoted intermediate its ends, means for swinging sald rail section on its pivot comprisingcam devices ar-p ranged inpairs on opposite sides of the rail section and .m pttlIS. on opposite sides of sald pivot, means *for operatlvelyconnecting the pairs of cam devices on the same, side of the rail section, locking members operatively connected to such connecting means, and means for moving such connectmg means longitudinally of the rail secs tion to actuate said locking members and cam devices to lock and unlock the railsection and to swing it in opposite directions. I

bination, a base plate arranged to have the ends of track and switch rails secured thereto, a rail section, a rail cha r support-111g sa d rail section intermediate the ends thereof,

18. Ina swing-rail switch frog, in comsaid rail section for locking the'same to the ends of the track or switch rails, means for guiding said locking members, and means for actuatingsaid locking members and such swinging means.

19. In a swing-rail switch frog, in combination, a base plate arranged to have the ends of track and switch rails secured thereto, a rail section, a rail chair supporting said rail section intermediate the ends .there-. of, means for pivotally mounting said rail chair and rail section on said base plate, means for swinging said rail chair and rail section comprising cam devices, locking members carried by said rail section for" locking the same to the ends of the track or switch rails, auxiliary rail chairs mounted adjacent the ends of said rail section, said auxiliary chairs supporting the ends of said rail section and cooperating with said locking members to guide the same, and means for actuating said locking members and said cam devices.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

GEORGE LESLIE WALKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

